BNP a prospective government, hence efforts on to tarnish its image: Fakhrul

Attempts are ongoing to tarnish the BNP's image by linking it to various wrongdoings as the party is a prospective government in the coming days, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said today (12 August).

"Since the Awami League is no longer in power, we are now the largest political party and a prospective government. As the BNP is expected to lead the state in the near future, efforts are underway to undermine us by associating the party with wrongdoing," he said while addressing a discussion at the China-Bangladesh Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.

The event, titled The Expectations of Youth and BNP's Vision for the Future Bangladesh, was organised by BNP's three associate bodies – Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Chhatra Dal – to mark International Youth Day.

Underscoring the need for change, the BNP leader said after 15 years of struggle against a "fascist" regime, the country now has the opportunity to rebuild the nation.

He noted that the chief adviser has mentioned the possibility of elections in February, saying, "Our task now is to ensure that the election is conducted properly, so that no one can claim that, like the Awami League, the vote was taken forcefully."

"We must fulfil our responsibility to ensure a free and fair election," he added.

The BNP leader also noted that democracy has never truly been practised in Bangladesh, except during the tenure of Ziaur Rahman.

Fakhrul said, "Those who promised to build democracy, to establish a democratic state and make us democratic, have failed to do so."

Noting that Bangladesh's independence was achieved through war, not as a mercy from anyone, he added, "The main goal of independence was to build a democratic Bangladesh, but that is where the shortfall has been."